Ken Patera

Feb 27, 2014 - by Jamie Cruickshank

ken patera

Real name: Kenneth Wayne Patera
Height: 6’1
Weight: 330 lbs.
Date of birth: November 6, 1943
From: Portland, Oregon
Pro debut: 1972
Trained by: Billy Robinson & Verne Gagne
Finishing move: Spinning Full Nelson

Biography

– In his youth, Patera was a gifted track and field athlete, competing in high jump and hurdles before an injury saw him switch to discus and shot put
– Patera won shot put gold at the 1967 Pan American Games, however, a disappointing finish in the US Olympic Trials saw him switch to weightlifting
– Patera went on to win 4 consecutive Pan American weightlifting gold medals from 1969 to 1972
– Patera qualified for the 1972 Olympic Games, but despite being heavily hyped by the media and his competitors, he failed to total a score
– In his first recorded professional wrestling match, Patera defeated Larry Hennig by DQ
– On April 4, 1975, Patera & Sonny King defeated NWA World Tag Team Champions The Andersons (Gene & Ole) by DQ
– On October 19, 1976, Patera & Killer Karl Kox defeated Bob Sweetan & Randy Tyler to win the NWA Tri-State United States Tag Team Titles
– On January 17, 1977, Patera defeated WWWF Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino by countout
– On February 7, 1977, Patera fought WWWF Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino to a draw in a Texas Death Match
– On February 28, 1977, Patera & Stan Stasiak defeated WWWF Tag Team Champions Billy White Wolf & Chief Jay Strongbow by countout
– After retiring from weightlifting, Patera competed in the 1977 World’s Strongest Man competition, placing 3rd
– In late 1977, Patera embarked upon his first tour of Japan
– On April 9, 1978, Patera defeated Wahoo McDaniel to win the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Title
– On April 23, 1978, Patera entered the NWA Tag Team Title Tournament with The Superstar. The duo reached the final, but lost to Ricky Steamboat & Paul Jones
– On October 15, 1978, Patera defeated Tony Atlas to regain the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Title
– In January 1979, Patera & John Studd defeated Paul Jones & Ricky Steamboat to win the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Titles
– On January 21, 1980, Patera fought WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund to a draw
– On April 21, 1980, Patera defeated Pat Patterson to win the WWF Intercontinental Title. Over the next two months, he would defend the title against the likes of Johnny Rodz, Ivan Putski & Pat Patterson
– 4 days later, Patera defeated Kevin Von Erich to win the NWA Missouri Heavyweight Title
– In January 1981, Patera returned to Japan
– On June 12, 1981, Patera defeated Tommy Rich to win the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title
– On October 23, 1981, Patera defeated Jack Brisco to win the NWA Missouri Heavyweight Title
– On May 16, 1983, Patera defeated Jerry Lawler to win the CWA/AWA International Heavyweight Title
– In mid-1983, Patera formed a tag team with Jerry Blackwell. The duo would become known as The Sheiks
– On June 26, 1983, The Sheiks defeated The High Flyers (Jim Brunzell & Greg Gagne) to win the AWA World Tag Team Titles
– On August 15, 1983, Patera defeated Jerry Lawler to regain the CWA/AWA International Heavyweight Title
– On December 30, 1983, The Sheiks defeated Baron Von Raschke & Mad Dog Vachon to retain the AWA World Tag Team Titles
– In 1984, Patera returned to the WWF, but failed to achieve the same level of success as he previously had
– At Survivor Series ’87, Patera was on Hulk Hogan’s team as they lost to Andre The Giant’s team
– At Summerslam ’88, Patera was defeated by Bad News Brown
– Patera made his final WWF appearance at Survivor Series ’88, once again on the losing side
– In 1989, Patera returned to the AWA, forming a tag team with Brad Rheingans called The Olympians
– On March 25, 1989, The Olympians defeated Badd Company (Paul Diamond & Pat Tanaka) to win the AWA World Tag Team Titles
– Patera retired from wrestling in 1991, though continues to make occasional appearances at conventions and independent events
– On August 12, 2011, Patera made his first competitive appearance in almost 20 years, losing to Bob Backlund at a JCW event
– On February 1, 2021, Patera was voted into the GERWECK.NET Hall of Fame

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